Keeping Your Head in a Casino

Casinos are designed with one purpose in mind; to keep you there as long as possible. The music of the slot machines is subtly designed to engage your mind. Attractive ladies talk nicely to you. There are no clocks, no windows. You don’t feel the passage of time. Alcoholic drinks are plentiful, inexpensive, sometimes even free. It seems like the next big win is just around the corner. It’s the next hand, the next spin of the reels, the roulette wheel, the next roll of the dice. It’s easy to see how people get caught up in this Disneyland of the senses and lose money they didn’t expect to spend.

It’s not long before many of those people walk out with their pockets empty wondering what happened this time. There is, however, another way. That way involves setting limits for yourself and sticking to them. First, wear a wristwatch. Even if you don’t usually, put one on for the casino. Keep track of how much time you’re spending there. If you hit the casino floor after breakfast, set an alarm for lunch time so that you don’t forget to eat then. Second, set a limit on your spending. Decide on a limit, and stick to it. If you get under that limit, you are finished. It doesn’t matter how close you are to making a million dollars. Once your budget for the day hits zero, you need to leave the casino floor. If you’re playing blackjack and you don’t have enough to double or split, then don’t double or split. Just play out the hand and hope for the best.

Another place to limit yourself is your drinking. Drinking dulls your judgment. Enjoy a drink or two, but then switch to Coke or water or coffee. It will also keep you from getting dehydrated or drunk and doing something embarrassing that you’ll regret later on. Remember that it takes a drink about an hour to clear your system, so you can safely have one drink every hour. If you’re driving, be sure to finish the last one over an hour before you get into the car and have at least two cups of something without alcohol before you start driving. If you feel tired, sit down for a while and relax before you get behind the wheel, because a car accident can cost a lot more than casino losses.

Most importantly, place an upper limit on your money, too. Decide how much you have to win before you’ll walk out of the casino. If you win that amount, walk out with your winnings, and don’t look back! Have fun.